Former Nets first-round pick could soon receive first extended NBA opportunity
01/06/2025 06:44 PM
Dariq Whitehead has not received an extended NBA opportunity during his second season with the Brooklyn Nets. However, a slew of injuries to the team’s top players could change that in the coming weeks.
The Nets will be without Cam Johnson (right ankle sprain) and Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain) for extended periods. Point guards Ben Simmons (left calf soreness) and D’Angelo Russell (left shin contusion) are also battling injuries. Brooklyn’s health struggles could open the door for Whitehead, who has spent most of the year in the G League, to join the team’s rotation.
“He's done a good job trying to do what we ask him to do here, then trying to go there in those games and do it too, how we want him to play in the NBA,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said when asked what he’s seen from Whitehead in the G League. “Obviously when we define a role for you, we want you to take the same shots, it's just a different team obviously and you'll play a certain amount of minutes, maybe more. Still, we want you to play in a way that you come here and you'll do the same things. We're happy with his attitude, the way he's worked, and we wanna see him keep getting better.”
Whitehead has averaged 12.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals on 36/29/75 shooting splits over 13 games with the Long Island Nets this season.
Dariq Whitehead could receive extended NBA opportunity as Nets battle injuries
The Nets knew Whitehead’s development would be a process when they selected him with the No. 22 pick in the 2023 draft. The former No. 2 overall prospect had undergone surgery on his left foot before and after his freshman season at Duke. His rookie season with the Nets was cut short by a left shin injury requiring surgery.
Whitehead has managed to stay healthy this season in Long Island and said he’s nearly 100 percent back physically.
"I feel like I'm pretty much all the way back. The last hurdle I gotta get over is me going to dunk on somebody. That'll be when I know for sure I'm back,” he told ClutchPoints in December at the G League Showcase. “There's a lot of things that changed in my day-to-day routine with me not having to cater to my body as much. Just going out there and getting better with time. I’m finally where I need to be. The last step is just going out there and dunking on somebody, then I'll be back."
After appearing in just 19 professional games as a rookie, game reps have been Whitehead’s top priority. The 20-year-old’s representation informed Brooklyn’s coaching staff that he wanted to remain in Long Island to maximize his time on the court early this season, first reported by ClutchPoints.
Whitehead’s most promising moment this season came during his lone NBA opportunity. With Brooklyn battling injuries, the 6-foot-6 wing scored a team-high 18 points while knocking down 6-of-10 three-point attempts during a Dec. 2 road loss to the Chicago Bulls.
18 PTS 6 3PM 23 MIN
Dariq Whitehead was RED HOT for the @brooklynnets! The former NBA first round pick came off the bench and dropped career-high numbers across the board. #GLeagueAlumpic.twitter.com/AWGM4u3PB3
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) December 3, 2024
While he returned to the G League following the performance, the Nets’ injury bug could now give Whitehead an extended runway to showcase his potential.
"Honestly, I just feel like I still haven't scratched my surface,” Whitehead told ClutchPoints of his development in Long Island. “There's just a lot of things right now, everyone's saying [he's a] shooter. For me, that had never been my best strong suit. So for me, it's just coming in and being a pest on-ball [defensively]. I showed some glimpses obviously in the Chicago game, just picking up, getting steals, and stuff like that.”
“And on-ball [offensively], being a hell of a playmaker. I have a nose for just making the right play and being a really great passer. But obviously, as room comes and as you get more comfortable with playing with those older guys [in Brooklyn], I'll be able to show that further into the season. But right now, just more so coming in and doing what I need to do, which is making shots and defending to get more time and get more opportunities on the court."
The post Former Nets first-round pick could soon receive first extended NBA opportunity appeared first on ClutchPoints.
